The Tree's Whisper
by christipherrobin
Summary: Fact: Lily Evans married James Potter and had a son named Harry. Was she happy? Well, she's starting to doubt that after two years. When things turn ugly during the first war, she turns to the only person she can still talk to. But she's not quite sure how to run back into his arms and still have feelings for James... Rated M for language, sexuality, and mature themes
1. Chapter 1

(Note you should read, you don't have to: I am not JK Rowling nor has she told me to write this story. Believe me, if she did I would do it better than i did here. This is my first story on here so please don't tease, I never said I wasn't a bad writer. Also please do not argue on my favorite pair, you're only embarrassing yourself. oh by the way my lullaby sucks a lot, so please don't point that out, i already know)

A few feet away from an abandoned park, there was a very deep lake. It was a pond children were warned not to get too close to. If you fell in the pond you were bound not to make it out. A rumor was sent around town that several grown people drown and their bodies were never recovered. Children say it was a monster living in it. More sensible grown ups just say it was bad luck and recklessness. You tell me.  
Beside it was a tree.

It was a tall tree. With branches that zigzagged in many different directions. The tree was perfect to hang out in, just hard to climb. No one bothered identifying the tree, but it was the only one in town like it. It had an odd shaped leaf cross between a maple and oak and had a white sandy tinge to the tree. The oddest thing? This tree seemed like it had no bark. So children and adults alike couldn't even make it to the lowest branch.

Two nine year olds managed though.

Every day since two weeks before, Lily Evans came home from school, did her homework like a good girl, then met her newest, best friend at the tree. Severus Snape.

two weeks before, they met like any other child would. A greasy haired boy dressed in tattered clothes emerging from the bushes and telling you that you are, in fact a witch capable of performing magic, and once you turn eleven go to a magic school called Hogwarts. And thank God to Lily's ability to believe. If this were her sister Petunia, he might have been running away tearfully. Or so Lily thought.

But Severus wasn't like that. Oh no he seen worse. It seemed like everyday since his mother told his non magical father (muggle) she was a witch and Severus was to be a wizard, his father fought with his mother. Tobias Snape tried to "beat" the magic right out of Eileen. And it didn't help with Tobias' drinking problem. Neglected and bruised  
, Severus found Lily, a bright green eyed girl with long, flowing dark red hair. Since then he watched her carefully and admiringly. To Severus, not even her mother could love Lily like he did.

But he never told her.

Of course not, he was too embarrassed. She never told him she loved him too, but in a very friendly way. He had an idea.

One particular day when Lily returned home with her sister, got her homework done like a good girl, then was stopped at the door by Petunia.

"Tuney can you move please." She asked politely.  
"Why? Going to see that Snape boy again?"Tuney HATED Severus.  
"Yes, but can you move, I'm going to the tree."  
Petunia glared at her sister then reluctantly moved aside. She followed her sister to the tree.  
"You show tell Snape to wash his hair," Petunia taunted. "Or get some decent clothes at least."  
Lily remained calm even though it felt like a violent slap against her cheek.  
"Tuney that's not nice, and call him Severus."  
"Lily, he's a freak. You shouldn't be hanging around him."  
"Why?" Lily snapped. "Hes not bad we aren't doing anything wrong!"  
The sisters remained silent the whole trip. Lily and Severus' tree was not too far away, but when you are a child, it seems like forever.

They reached the tree and Severus was already there. He picked up a peice of grass and closed his eyes. At once it turned into a Lily. Severus gave the flower to Lily.

Petunia's eyes were wide with shock.  
"FREAKS! YOU'RE BOTH FREAKS!" She screamed then ran away. "I'M GOING TO TELL HER! I'M GOING TO TELL MUMMY!"

Once gone, Severus locked eyes with Lily and said "Pleasant girl, your sister."  
Lily giggled."Sev, don't start."  
The children squeezed hands then flung themselves onto the tree. They closed their eyes and landed on the top.

They sat in silence for a while, then Severus broke it.  
"I wish they'd stop arguing."he mumbled.  
Lily looked at him for a while.  
"Sev..."  
"it's alright. It's not like he's going to get better anyway." he looked at her with his black eyes.  
"Tell me more, about Hogwarts and magic."  
"Well," Severus began as he stood up a bit. "What do you want to know? I really can say Lily, I know as much as you. I told you everything I know. My mom only told me very much. The use of magic is not allowed in my house. Dad doesn't even let Mum talk of it."  
Lily looked down at her pile of twigs she was fidgeting with.  
"Then tell me about..."  
"Lily you know everything."  
"I guess I do..."  
There was not too many silences between Severus and Lily, but this particular day there was.  
"Lily?"  
"Yes?"  
"...Tell me about Muggle school."  
She giggled. Usually her companion was not too interested in muggle life. He lived with one, but the Snape family were very poor. So they didn't get Lily's privileges.  
Lily babbled on about their Art class today and how they made clay sculptures. She had made a doe and got top marks for it.  
Severus was barely paying attention. He just half listened to Lily's non stop talking. Her angel voice filling his ears. He just loved it when she did that.

"And then, one time, Mr Miller farted during class!" She laughed.  
Severus couldn't help but laugh too.  
They both doubled over. It was of course, these times Severus never forgot and Lily wrote in a special secret page of her diary.

"Was it loud?"  
Lily had to gain a little sanity before she answered him.  
"Very!"

Their laughter by now could be heard from miles away. By now they weren't laughing at poor Mr Miller.'s accident, it was just because they could laugh.

What seemed like an eternity later, they calmed down. Lily stood up and bravely stepped up onto one of the branches.  
"I can't wait until Hogwarts." She said dreamily. She grabbed Severus's hands to stand him up. Lily climbed higher up the branch.  
"We're going to rule it you and I. Us against the world! Magic seems wonderful. Oh Sev! If only we turned eleven right now-"  
A sudden crack, and the old branch broke.  
"SEVERUS!" Lily screamed.  
She was only barely hanging on to the remains of the branch, actually attached to the tree.  
"Lily!"  
Severus grabbed Lily's other hand and her wrist.  
He tried pulling.  
"Sev pull harder!"  
He tried again.

A memory flashed through his mind.  
"You good for nothing little...!"  
Severus was six. His father was once again, really drunk. Severus had forgotten to cook supper so as punishment he threw, like usual, beer bottles at him and made him do push ups.  
50 push ups today for Snape Jr.  
"Come on try harder!"  
SMASH  
"Be a man!"  
SMASH  
"Be strong!"  
And Severus finished his last push up.

It was now that Severus was still hanging onto Lily.  
The forceful words rang through his ears, "Be a man! Be strong!"  
Lily was still dangling above the lake.  
Severus looked into her deranged green eyes.  
"Come on, try harder Sev!"

But it was too late. The branch had broken and she fell into the water.

"LILY!" He dived in after her. Now, Severus wasn't too bad of a swimmer. He took lessons when he was little and the family had enough money to go camping. His dad was sober, and he actually had some of the best moments of his life there.

He finally found Lily sinking to the bottom. He swam as fast as his skinny legs could carry him, faster than he even thought. Down, down, down. And then, he found her hand and pulled her up, now supporting her entire body. he struggled while he swam, but he was trying to be fast before she drowned. At last, the surface stretched out before them. Severus hoisted he body up onto the ledge of the lake. he pulled himself up.

"Come on, Lily breathe!"

And then, a miracle happened. she coughed, took a long deep breath, then

"Sev y-y-you s-s-saved m-m-m-me!" Lily collapsed of Severus' lap, sobbing.  
"Shh" He shushed her. Severus sang a lullaby his mother sang to him when he was a baby, when she cared.

Calm my love, my only  
And hark the setting sun  
None shall worry  
On this warm comforting night  
Sleep my love, my only

The lullaby Eileen made up didn't rhyme, but it seemed to calm Lily down.  
Lily turned over to face Severus.  
"Severus?"  
"Mm?" He was to busy looking at her to make a more understood answer.  
Lily cuddled up to him more.  
She sighed and answered lazily.  
"I love you."  
Severus made full eye contact with her.  
"Oh and Severus?"  
"Yeah?" "I'm c-c-cold." So he put his old jacket over her. "Can y-y-you hold me?"

And so he did.  
"One more thing S-s-sev, do you love me?"  
He bent down in a motherly way and kissed her forehead.  
"Always."

Meanwhile, Mr Evans was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper while his wife was preparing supper when they heard the door slam.

"Petunia! You're white as a sheet! come tell mummy what happened." Mrs Evans was concerned.

"It's that Snape boy," Petunia spat. "He gave a flower to Lily out of thin air!"

"Don't be ridiculous Petunia," said he father, nt looking up from the football section. "Even if that had happened I'm sure his intentions were harmless."

"But daddy they're freaks! Lily can do it too! I seen her!"

Her mother laughed. "Stop now Tuney, you're only tiring yourself out. Anyway, it's time to eat now grab your plate. Where's Lily?"

Petunia mumbled something very rude about Severus Snape and her sister.

"Petunia!"

"Sorry! Fine, she'll be late."

Her dad piped in. "What a strange name, Severus...where does he live?"

"On Spinner's end."

"Oh poor boy!" Mrs Evans said.

'Quite, Jill, pass the pepper, will you?"

Nothing else was said but the noise of the clanking dishes and Petunias little mumbles about how stupid Lily was. Then came the ring of the doorbell. Mr Evans cast a worried glance at his wife. "I'll get it." She followed him.

There was a boy at the step. He wore tattered clothes that an old man might wear and his black locks were long and greasy. His eyes were as black as it was midnight which made his expression even more vacant. This wasn't the only thing that made him very strange. he was holding a red-headed girl that as about his age.

She just happened to be their daughter.

Mr and Mrs Evans gasped. The boy gave the girl to her father.

"Mr and Mrs Evans, i know what you're thinking but I didn't do anything to your daughter. We were sitting in the big tree by the lake and she fell in. Which is mainly the reason why she's so wet, drippy and cold. I gave her my jacket -here take it-, I had to hold her for a while. She wouldn't let me take her home. but when she was fast asleep, I lifted her and carried her all the way here. It might be a while before she wakes up. And when she does sing her a song, give her a hug or some hot soup. and tell her i brought her here and I need no apology or thank-yous"

Jacket-less and hands in pocket, the boy quickly turned around and paced away through the empty streets in the dark blue painted sky.

Leaving all but one of the Evans, totally and irrevocably speechless.

(Thank you for reading it, it really means a lot.)


	2. Chapter 2

(Author's note: This story is not in any way associated with JK Rowling, if it was I would do better. This is practice for because i love writing, Harry Potter, and the tragic story Jo wrote in one chapter I cried myself to sleep by when I read it. I am 14 years old and have been working on this story for a very long time. I believe myself to be mature enough to be writing... this kind of fanfiction. No I have not finished it, but I'll try. The dialogue isn't that great but i suppose it will do)

"God James you can be such an asshole!"

Lily was finding herself in the same place once again: fighting with her husband James Potter with a crying baby Harry in the background.

James glared at her. "I'm only an ass when you're a total bitch."

Lily let out a cry of distress.

"If you haven't noticed the world doesn't revolve around you!"

"Neither does it you!"

"Whats that supposed to mean?"

Harry remained wailing.

"Whats that supposed to mean, Potter?" Lily demanded.

"Nothing..."

"Potter!"

"Alright... It's just that... You always..."

Lily scoffed. "You can't even finish your own damn sentance because you just wont admit it."

"Lily you are always just... Ughh! I can't explain it. It's always about you! 'James, I need this' or 'James I need that'"

"If you haven't noticed I'M the one having to take care of OUR son while you are at Sirius'! I haven't gotten any sleep in days! James there's a bloody war going on! Dumbledore said we need to cautious!"

"Lily, no one said it was easy!"

"I know that."

"Then you wonder why I get angry."

"What? That doesn't make any sense!"

Harry screamed louder.

"Great now look what you done. Happy?"

"James, I need to go clear my head."

"Fine! Leave!"

Lily took Harry, loaded some of Harrys things, clothes, and hairbrush and toothbrush. She would be back. If this continued she'd get everything.

James continued to yell. "Sometimes I could almost just..."

But she cut him off.

"Goodbye."

She turned around and left.

"Bitch!" James called after she walked out the door.

Lily cradled a wimpering Harry under her arm. She sang a soft lulluby to him in the pouring rainy night.

Calm my love, my only

And hark the setting sun

None shall worry

On this warm comforting night

Sleep my love my only

She doesn't remember where she heard it, but she loved it. Even though it didn't rhyme or contribute to the situation, There was no sun. Only a shining full moon and stormy clouds overhead.

She then thought where she could possibly stay, it was best not to be put in possible danger with James still fuming. Lately they haven't been getting along and she couldn't risk it.

Lily thought of a place she hadn't seen since she was younger.

No, she thought. I couldn't go there!

I could go to Sirius'. But he would take James' side like usual.

I could go to Remus'.

Lily looked at the moon.

No I couldn't, his transformation.

Peter wouldn't be any help at all.

Unless...Lily no! You can't just show up at his door asking for a shoulder to cry on and release your latest problems to him! But then... He always offered his shoulder to me, always there.

She gathered the sleeping Harry in her arms and the bags. Then she closed her eyes and ended on a street she thought she'd never go back to.

The doorbell rang at a house down rainy Spinner's End.

Severus Snape's house to be exact.

He was sleeping in his chair with firewhisky at hand.

Severus was tired after meeting with a Death Eater. He was ready.

You couldn't blame Severus for becoming a Death Eater. After all, the only people who treated him with decent respect were Slytherins and Lily. There was no way Severus was going to join the bastards James and Sirius. James stole Lily, and Severus thought Lily forgot him.

Oh how wrong he was.

The doorbell rang again.

"Lily!" Severus woke up to an embarrassing jolt. Thank god he lived alone. He had to stop doing that.

It rang again.

"What?" Severus was annoyed

And again.

"Alright you filthy cookie selling muggle!" He grumbled stupidly getting up from his chair.

And again.

Severus only hoped it was... But it couldn't be.

He opened the door. An excited gasp escaped his lips.

In front of Severus was a rain drenched, pretty, green eyed woman

"Hi Sev. Can I stay here tonight?"


	3. Chapter 3

(Author's note: well i didn't expect to get the reviews I did! As I am only 14 years old, I'm a little new to writing stories, however i do enjoy it, and maybe one day write a novel. I do need practice so something like this will increase my skill. please review your most honest opinion, but do not insult this "ship", i have tons to back it up, you don't want me going all caps-lock now do you? just kidding. Ok, bye)

"W-What?"  
Lily gave her old best friend a meek smile. "Can we stay here tonight?"  
Still surprised he answered with just "OK."  
"Thank you." She basically jumped on Severus.  
She let go of him and blushed despite of the years they stopped talking and together.  
"Ummm." He still didn't know what to say. "W-who's we?"  
Lily blushed again. She held up her son.  
"Harry and me."  
Severus was speechless. The baby gurgled then grabbed his big nose.  
"What?"  
"Me and umm... James had Harry here."  
Harry marveled at Severus.  
"Gahhhhh!"  
Severus turned white.  
"S-son?" he said stupidly.  
"Yep." Lily sat on his tattered couch, like she was there every day.  
Severus looked from the baby to the gorgeous young woman sitting before him. Harry looked too much like James. Except the eyes. He had his mothers beautiful green ones.  
Lily took that her old best friend was in deep shock.  
"Severus..."  
His eyes turned into somewhat of a glare. "Why are you here?"  
She started to cry.  
Sev's black eyes turned soft. He sat down then scooted over closer to Lily on the chesterfield.  
"Lily..."  
"Oh Sev! Me and James got into another fight! It's been months since the war started, I can barely leave the house even. James is getting lazy and carefree while I'm worrying we are going to get killed! I have to stay home and take care of Harry all day while James is out, God knows where!"  
Severus held her while she cried.  
"And it's not fair! I regret getting married so early. Harry was a bit of a s-su-prise."  
Severus hugged her tighter. Harry whimpered more.  
"Lily, what can you do now? I can't stop the war," He flinched. If she had known... "The best you can do is tough it out. Don't worry Lily! God, you're stronger than that."  
"No Sev you were a-a-lways the s-s-trong one."  
He wasn't going to argue.  
Just hold onto the moment.

They had forgotten that there was another human being in the house.  
Until the peaceful and sweet moment was ruined by a loud,  
"WAHHH!"  
Harry had enough of being squished in between the two embracing adults.  
"Oh sweetums, are you ti-wed?" said Lily with a grin on her tear streaked face holding up her infant son.  
"Do you mind?" She asked Severus.  
"No, not at all."  
She hummed a lulluby while she walked Harry to the bathroom. All Severus could do was try to understand while Lily Evans was doing in his house with her four month old son in the middle of the night. A fight wasn't enough to explain why she had chosen him over that mangy beast or James' duplicate jackass, she could have even have chosen that rat.  
Then he couldn't comprehend that Lily Evans was crying in his arms like she was still his best friend. It didn't make sense.  
She walked out carrying a sleeping Harry.  
"He asleep?"  
"I hope."  
"Speaking of sleep..."  
"Sev, don't worry about that. When I left I brought my enchanted bag with blankets and a playpen for Harry."  
He sat there open mouthed. "Oh."  
"Well where else was I going to sleep?"  
My bed, Severus was going to say, but glad he didn't.  
"Anyway, I'll be gone in the morning when you wake up." She giggle blushed. "If I can Ill sneak out to visit you more often. You seem lonely."  
He smiled. "Well I'm not complaining. I'm not home that often."  
"Oh? Where do you go?"  
"Anywhere I can to get out of this dump."  
"Why don't you move?"  
He looked her with a blank face.  
"I can't afford it."  
"Sorry. Can I help you?"  
"Lily, don't."  
"What? We aren't on the streets."  
"Well neither am I!"  
"Oh I didn't mean it like that."  
"I'm sorry I know you didn't."  
"Sev, James has too much."  
"No, you can't just take his money and give it to someone who doesn't deserve it."  
"Who said you never deserved it?"  
He sighed. "Me, now stop talking about it."  
"Like usual you are undoubtedly stubborn." She smiled slightly.  
"And you are at most dangerously too generous." He smiled back.  
She laid Harry gently in his pen.  
"If a robber tried to take your money you would give it to him instead because you pity him." He joked.  
She playfully smacked his shoulder. "I would not!"  
"Oh yes you would! He would walk away with a fancy dragon hide jacket. And you would be wishing him well in his new job you recommended him for."  
She giggled. "I would treat him out for a fancy meal."  
"Is he well groomed?"  
"Thanks to me."  
"Well in that case... Give me all your money!" Severus pushed Lily onto the couch and started tickling her. It was hard to believe Harry was still sleeping with Lily's loud laughter.  
It was the sort of thing Severus done when they were children and Lily felt angry or sad.  
"SEVERUS! STOP! I'M GONNA PEE! I'M GONNA P-EEEE AHHAHA!"  
He didn't care really. But he stopped suddenly when Lily reached for her wand pocket.  
But the odd thing that hasn't happened before was they were still in the same position: Severus on top of Lily.  
They stared at each other's eyes.  
Was it herself, or... was Lily's heart beating faster this way?  
Severus rolled off onto the floor. He couldn't bear what erm... embarrassing "thing" was about to happen if he stayed on top of her longer.  
"Well um, Im going to bed." Lily said too sudden.  
"Yes... Me also."  
Awkward pause.  
"Well good night, Lil..."  
"You can call me Lils it's fine, I call you Sev."  
"Ok, well then, sleep tight."  
"Don't let the Basilisk bite!" She added.  
"Good night Sev."  
More awkward pauses, and they departed .

Lily dreamed. Silly uncomfortable dreams. About her and Sev. She almost felt they were real.  
And each time she woke up she had always hoped that they were.

Likewise, Severus dreamed, like he did every night, of her. But it wasn't the usual one about himself kissing every inch of her skin. It was more of a nightmare.  
She was forced into a dark shadow, falling deeper and deeper. Away from him. His distressed master laughing.  
"Lily is nothing no more, you can't save her! You can't save yourself."  
Himself forced between two worlds reality and a dream.  
Harry was crying with Lily's screams.  
He woke up.  
Harry was actually crying.

It really wasn't like Severus to get up and go help a child, but for Lily's sake he did.  
Harry was up on his legs when Severus approached him.  
"Uh-err..."  
He awkwardly picked up Harry and held him against his shoulder.  
He was obviously a rookie at handling screaming babies, but by reading books he could tell what to do.  
Harry's diaper wasn't full.  
Lily had JUST fed him.  
So the only reason left he was crying was that he had a nightmare.  
So Severus gave Harry his pacifier and sat in the chair and rocked him in a way he did not know he could do.  
What he did not know was that Lily was watching him rock her baby, a child he didn't like because it looked like his father.  
"So how's my big boy?"  
"Oh... umm..."  
"No no! Keep at it, he likes it. Besides it gives me a break."  
"By the way which big boy are you talking about?"  
She smiled. "So uh, where did you learn this."  
"I didn't."  
"What? Is Harry the first you dealt with?"  
"Yes."  
"Unbelievable, you look so fatherly."  
Severus was flattered. He blushed then shrugged his shoulders.  
"I think it's alright now."  
"Pardon?"  
"Harry? You can put him back?"  
"Oh."  
"Do you want me to?"  
"No, I can."  
He placed the sleeping baby in its bed.  
"Well goodnight."  
"Night."


End file.
